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Most organizational restructurings promise clearer roles, faster decisions, and better performance. Yet many fail to deliver the expected results. Bain’s “Live the Model” survey suggests a simple but powerful reason: Employees who feel supported are dramatically more motivated. They are also far more confident their organization will achieve the restructuring’s intended benefits.
Over 80% of middle managers who felt supported described themselves as highly motivated and confident, compared with about 30% of middle managers who felt less supported. Forty-three percent of supported employees described themselves as highly motivated to adopt the new structure, compared with 11% of those who weren’t fully supported. Meanwhile, 56% of supported employees felt highly confident the organization would recognize the full benefits of the reorganization, vs. just 15% of those who did not receive sufficient support.
Learning to work differently
The gap highlights a common misunderstanding about transformation. Leaders invest heavily in explaining the rationale for change—why the organization needs a new structure, strategy, or system. But understanding the change is rarely the barrier. The real challenge is operational: People need help learning how to work differently inside the new model.
The training and coaching that matter most
Survey responses point to two forms of support that matter most. The first is training focused on new ways of working, not just new tools or processes. The second, targeted coaching and guidance that helps managers and teams apply those changes in their daily work.
These supports appear consistently in highly motivated environments and are notably absent where motivation is low. In other words, the difference between successful and struggling reorganizations often comes down to whether leaders invest in helping people make the transition.
Three leadership priorities
Organizational redesign does not end with the new structure. Leaders must ensure employees can live the model.
Three priorities stand out:
- Translate structure into behavior. Define what decisions, collaboration, and workflows should look like in the new organization.
- Equip managers to guide the transition. Middle managers interpret the model for thousands of employees; they need coaching and practical tools.
- Provide targeted support where work changes most. Focus training and guidance on roles experiencing the largest shifts in responsibilities.
When employees feel supported, motivation rises and confidence follows. The organization moves beyond announcing a new structure—and begins operating in a genuinely new way.
About the research
Bain’s “Live the Model” Market Survey, conducted from September to October 2025, covers 976 executives, managers, and employees whose roles have been impacted by a new organizational structure. Respondents came from nine nations representing a full range of regions, industries, company sizes, job functions, tenures, and ages.
First published in aprile 2026